Breakdown gun



Patented Ap?. 22, |902.

w. H. GATES. BnEAKuowN lGUN.

(Application filed Apr.'6` 1900.:

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

www y J. Il.

No. 999,194. 'Patented Apr. 22, |992.

W. H. GATES.

BBEAKDOWN GUN.

(Application med Apr. e, 1900.)

(Ilo Modal.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM II. GATES, OF NVORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO IHM SELF AND BENJAMIN I. GREENE, OF TORCESTEIL MASSACHUSETTS.

BREAKDOWN GUN.

SPECIFICATON forming part of Letters atent No. 698,194, dated April 22, 1902.

Application filed April 6, 1900. Serial No. 11|788. (No model.)

gun of that type which'is opened. by swing-` y :o ing down the forward end of the barrelthat is to say, this invention relatesto what is known as a breakdownbreech-loading gun g and the object of this invention is to provide a safe, efficient, and inexpensive hammerlessV i breakdown gun which may be manufactured and placed on the market at an equally low cost as a gun having an outside hammer or hammers of the ordinary construction. To these ends I haveprovided .a gun eon- 2o strncted according to my invention with vanaction comprising a longitudinally-movable firing bolt or pin, which is preferably held in its thrown-back or cocked position by direct .engagement with a trigger and is moved to :z5 said thrown-back or cocked position by a cooking-lever actuated whenever the gun is opened. cessed or oiset to receive the'trigger and the safetyeatch for preventing an accidental disgo charge of the gun, and carried by the locking-bolt is a novel arrangement of springs, one of which acts as a locking-bolt spring and the other of which acts as a trigger-spring, said parte being preferably so arranged that the trigger-spring will be relaxed when the gun is opened and said parts being lproportioned and arranged with respect to each other so that they may be easily adjusted and Secured in'position in the frame.

.to A further object of this invention is to provide a new, simple, and efiicient form of cornbined extractor and ejector for the shell.

To these ends this invention consists of the gun and of the combinations of parts therein, A as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of The locking-bolt is preferably re-A parts being shown in the positions assumed by them after the gun' is fired. Fig. 2 is a similar View illustrating the position'of the parts when the gun is opened. Fig. 3' is a 55 detail plan view illustrating the locking-bolt, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a 'perspective view of the cooking-lever. Fig.

5 is a perspective View of the safety-catch. Fig. 6 is a' detail view illustrating the rela- 6o tion of the cooking-lever and the barrel. Fig.

7 isha sectional View taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. .6, and Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the hinge-pin.

One primary object of this invention is to arrange the parts constituting the action of a gun to cooperate with a longitudinally-sliding spring-pressed firing pin or bolt. This spring-pressed firing pin or bolt is located in a .recess or 'chamber bored in the frame of the 7o gun, which inclines downwardly toward the rear of the gun, and the trigger is preferably arranged todirectly engage a notch in the firing-pin to hold the same in its retracted orv cocked position. 75

The flring-pinsocket is drilled i'n the gunfralne, and the ring-pi-n is secured'therein by a threaded block or bushing, and cooperating with the firing-pin is a cooking-lever of an offset bell-'crank lever form,the forward end 8o of said cooking-lever engaginga notch in the side of the barrel-lug, so that when the gun is openedthe cockinglever will be turned to force back the spring-pressedl tiring pin or bolt.

The locking-bolt, which locks theparts of the gun in their closed ornormal position, is oifset or is provided with 'a recess for receiving the trigger and the safety-catch, which is employed for preventing an accidental dis- 9o charge of the gun.

The arrangement of springs which is carried by the locking-bolt is preferably such that the trigger-'spring will berelaxed as the gun is opened, this arrangement permitting the Iiring-pin to be morereadily forced back and preventing unnecessary wear on thetrig-l ger-catch.

The parts which I preferably employ for forming a combined extractor and ejector for roo a gun constructed according to this invention are preferably designed to be located in a y actuate the spring-pressed ejector-bolt 17 are' 'iprise a inver pivcted 'in the barrelont of the hinge-pin ofthe gun, which engages the frame at the rear of its et when the gun is opened and actuates a i r which iirst imparts a positive motion spring-pressed ejector-bolt and then s a detent, permitting the ejector-bolt nach when the gun is fully opened. .She hinge-piu, which pivotally connects the barrel and frame of the gun, instead of boing threaded into place in the ordinary manner, is preferably provided with a springcatch, which will permit the insertion or removal of the hinge-piu for securing the parts together `without requiring any special inachine-Worlr, threading, or boring out of the frame, except the drilling of a straightsockct for receiving the hinge-pin.

i-eferring to they aeccmpf 'ing drawings and in detail,m a gu n c. :ist in according to nzyinvention, as herein ill nstrated, comprises a gun frame or casting 10 and a barrel li, having a barrel-ing l2 fitting into the forward ,j st of the frame in the ordinary manner. Pivotally connecting the barrel 1l. and frame i0 is alliage-pin 13. The construction of the hinge-pin 13 preferably employed is most clearlyillustrated in Figs. 7 and S. As shown in these figures, the hinge-pin 13 is provided with an integral head 14: and is slotted near its opposite end to receive a catch 15, normally forced outwardly by a spring 16. in prior forms of breakdown guns the hingepins which have been employed have usually been either threaded in place or have been of such construction as torequirc speciai machine-work or fitting to be done upon the gunframe to enable the gun-frame to receive the hinge-pin.

I regard the useof a hinge-pin of the construction illustrated iii-Figs. 7 and 8 of advantage, because hinge-pins of this construction maybe made up and a quantity of them kept in stock, and to secure such hinge-pins in place in a gun it is simply necessary to drill a transverse hole through the forward end of the gun-frame and through the barrel-lug, whereas in using prior forms of hinge-pins the gun-frame itself had to be machined orv fitted in various manners, a mistake in fitting the hinge-pin in the frame frequently destroying the value of the entire gun-frame.

To provide a simple and eliicient combined extractor and ejector mechanism for a gun constructed according to this invention, a barrel-lug is bored out longitudinally to receive an ejector-bolt 17, which is normally forced back by a coiled spring 18, the ejectorbolt being secured in place, if desired, and the limits of its motion being determined by a stop-screw 47. The parts which control and preferably of s uch construction that they can be located in a central groove or slot 'of the barrel-lug 12. 'As shown herein, the mechanism for controlling the springressed ejectoressai 'i ergroove of the barrei-lug and preferbeit comprises an operating-lever 19, which is pivoted in he barrel-lug in front of the hinge-pin 1311s auch a position asto engage the Forward end the gun-frame when the gun is op ed. .The rear end of the lever 19 is sockcted. inte a pivot-piece or pusher 2l. The upper end of the pusher or pivot-piece L)i engages a shoulder at the front end of a or notch in 'the underside of the ejectorroit i7', and the pusher or pivot-piece 2l is rocked or turned it iirst imparts a positive motion to 'the ejector-bolt 17 and then en` and releases a spring-pressed detent 22, permitting the ejector-bolt to ily back to the limit of travel, as illustrated in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. when the ejector-bolt is thrown to the iimit of its travel to the rear sh iider ich is engaged by the ejectorbelt spr ff rires not pass the point or end of the pii i rer 2i, and l regard this as a point of advantage, the starter-lever will ali-rays be in position to be moved back when the gun is closed and will not be allowed to strike against or interfere with the ejectorbolt spring. By means of this construction I have provided a combined extractor and ejector action for the gun-that is to say, al

positive or extracting action is first imparted to the ejectorbolt, and the ejector-bolt then restrained by the detent until the g. is opened nearly to its widest extent to permit the shell to be thrown completely out its chamber.

What I regard as one especial advantage in the use of the'combined extractor' and ejector mechanism constructed as herein illus trated arises from the fact that the actuating parts of this mechanism may all be secured the .barrel-lug, and hence these parts may be put in place without greatly weakening or defacing the barrel-lug itself.

Fitting into a hole or socket which is bored into the gun-frame so as to incline downwardly toward the rear of the gun is a firingpin 23, which is normally thrown forward by a coiled spring 25 and is heldin place by a' threaded bushing or barrel .Q4-that is to say, instead of employing an outside hammer for exploding the shell in a gun constructed according to myinvention and instead of employing inside springing hammers or iiringlevers I preferably employ a longitudinally movable firing pin or bolt, and I regard the use of this iiringpin or bolt as advantageous, as the firing pin or bolt occupies compaia.

tively little vertical space, permitting me to leave the shank-or grip of the gun-frame of comparatively small diameter, making an easily-manipulated arid nicely-hanging construction. y

The firing-pin 23 is preferably held in its thrown-back or' cocked position by the direct action of the trigger, although, if preferred,

a scar or catch forming a separate piece from the trigger maybe used for this purpose, if desired. As heroin illustrated, thc trigger IOO lIOS in a single longitudinal central slot or cut of IIO 29 is pivoted on a pin 30 and is provided with an integral catch for engaging a notch in the firing-pin. W' hen released from the notch in the Jfiring-pin 23, the trigger' catch or detent is held down by the cylindrical part of the firing-pin ef greatest diameter, preventing the trigger 29 from again moving forward after the gun is fired, as shown in Fig. 1.

l' Coperating with the tiring-pin 23 is a eccking-lfever 2G. trated most clearly in Fig. it, is of an offset hell-crank shape and is pivotally mounted on a pin 27, the forward end of said cookinglever engaging a notch at the side of the barrel-lug 12, as shown most clearly in Fig. 6. A locking slide or bolt 35 is arranged to be moved longitudinally by a top snap 36. The top snap 36 preferably consists of a thumbpiece or lever and a shank formed in one integral piece. The shank of the top snap 36 is of comparatively large diameter, and threaded eceentrically into the shank of the top snap is a screw S5. By means of this construction the screw S5 may be employed not only to forni a crank-pin connection between the shank ct the top snap 36 and the -lockingbclt 35, but in addition to this it serves to secure the top snap in place, so that instead of requiring several separate parts to be secured together the top snap may be simply formed by a single integral piece, the shank of which is iirst inserted down through its hole in the frame, so that by the insertion of the screw 85 the top snap will be connected to the lockingbolt and will also be removably held in place. 'lfhe locking-bolt 35 is provided with a lug 37, and hearing on'the lug 37 is a spring 38, normally throwing the locking-bolt forward. Also bearing on the lug 37 of the locking-bolt is a trigger-spring 39. 3y means of this construction when the locking-bolt isV drawn back by the top snap3b', so as to permit the opening of the gun, the drawing baci; .of said locking-bolt will relax-or decrease the tension of the trigger-spring 3S), and I regard this as advantageous, because in arranging the trigger-spring in this manner the resistance opposed bythe trigger to the cooking of the gun will be diminished and the wearingr on the catch or dcitent of the trigger will also be diminished.- As shown most clearlyin- Fig. 3, the locking-bolt 35 is provided near its middle with an oll't'set forming a recess, which receives the trigger 29. on a piu at the side of the trigger 29 is a safety-catch 3l. 'The safety-catch 3l, as most clearly illustrated in Fig. 5, is provided withA a recess for cooperating with a pin E33, extending from the side of the trigger. \Vhen the lower portion of the safety-catch is swung or moved back, the tooth or projection thereof will engage beneath the pin 33, so as to lock he trigger' and prevent the same from being lmoved, as. indicated by dotted lines in Fig. NVhen the lower portion of the safetycatch is thrown forward, however, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l, the trigger The cooking-lever 26, as illus-4 livotally mounted will then be free to .be operated; Thesafetyso long as the gun remains opened, and the A safety-catch can be released, so as to permit the firing of the gun, only when the gun is closedf To release the safety-catch, so as to permit the firing of the gun, when the gun is closed, the upper end of the safety-,catch 31 projects through the upper tang and will be pushed back with substantially the. same motion as required to cock or pull back the hammer of an ordinary gun, the safety-catch being preferably held in either one of :two positions by a spring engaging notches inthe bottom ofthe safety-catch, as indicated'by dotted lines in Figs. l and 2. After the'gun has been fired and the parts have assumed the position illustrated in'Fig, l the firing-pin 23 will serve to hold the trigger in its retracted or pulled-baci; position, so thatit cannot-be thrown forward again in position to have the safety-catch engage beneath -the pin 33.

The operation of the several parts employed in a gun constructed according to my invention have been so fully explained in describing the construction thereof that a description of the operation ofthe gun asa whole is not believed to he necessary-that is to say, the operation of the gu-n asa whole-is substantially the .same as that pf other breakdown hammerless breech-loading guns, the

novelty of the invention residing in the simple and compact combinations of parts for effecting the functions required to loe per- That is claimed, and sought to besceure'd by Letters Patent of the United Stat-es, is-

l. In a breakdown gun, the combination of the gun-frame, a barrel having a. lug pivoted in the'gun-frame, and an ejector mechanism comprising a spring-pressed ejector-bolt, an operating-lever pivoted i'n the barrel-lug in front of the hinge-pin to engage the gunframe at vthe rear of the pivot of said lever when the gun is. opened, a pusher actuated by the lever to impart a positive motion to the ejector-bolt, and a detent for the ejectorbolt arranged to be released bythe pusher, substantially' as described. 2. In a breakdown gun, the'combination of the gun-frame, a barrel having a barrel-lug ing said parts, andan ejector mechanism comprising a spring-ppressed ejector-bol t, an actuating mechanism for the ejector-bolt mounted in a longitudinal slot in the barrel-lug, and comprising an operating -lever pivoted in front of the hinge-pin in position to engage the gun-frame at the rear of ii's pivot when the gun is'open, a pivoted swinging piece or pusher, the rear end of the actuating-lever being socketed in said pusher, and a springdetent,-the pusher being arranged to first engagerand impart a positive motion to the extractor-bolt, and to then release the springdetent, permitting the extractor-bolt to fly back to the end of its travel when the gun is substantially wide opened, substantially as described.

3. In a breakdown gun, the combination of a gun-frame, a barrel pivotally mounted at the forward end of the gun-frame, locking connections for holding the barrel in its normal position, a trigger controlling the action of the gun, a trigger-spring, and connections for diminishing the tension of the triggerspring when the gun is unlocked or opened, substantially as described.

4. In a breakdown gun, the combination of a gun-frame, a barrel pivotally connected to the forward end ofthe gun-frame, and an action comprising a longitudinally-movable spring-pressed firing-pin, a trigger therefor, a safety-catch mounted at one side of the trigger for locking the same when desired, and a substantially bell-crank-shaped cocking-lever having one leg thereof extending forward to be operated by the barrel-lug, and the other leg thereof engaging and operating both the firing-pin and safety-catch, substantially as described.

5. In a gun, the combination of the gunframe, a barrel pivotally mounted at the forward end thereof, a looking-bolt for holding the parts in their normal or closed position, a trigger controlling the action of the gun, a locking-bolt spring engaging one side of a lng on the locking-bolt, and a trigger-spring engaging the opposite side of said lng, substantially as described.

(i. In a gun, the combination of the gunframe, a barrel pivotally mounted at the forward end thereof, a longitudinally-movablo spring-pressed iiringepin mounted in the gunframe, a trigger having a catch-section for directly engaging the firing-pin, a cookinglever for forcing back the firing-pin, a lock-v nlinished whenever the gun is unlocked or opened, substantially as described.

7. In a shell-extracting mechanism for breakdown guns, the combination of an ejector-bolt, a pivoted pusher or starter lever therefor, and connections for actuating thc starter-lever when the gun is opened to impart a positive initial motion to the ejectorbolt, the upper end of the starterdever engaging a shoulder at the rear of a recess in the under side of the ejector-bolt, so that said starter-lever will always be in position to be moved forward when the gun is closed and cannot engage with or interfere with the ejector-bolt spring,substantiallyas described.

S. In a gun, the combination of a longitudinally-movable spring-pressed firing pin or bolt, a trigger having a catch or detent section for engaging a notch in the firing-pin, and a safety-catch pivoted at one side of the trigger in position to engage a pin or lng in the side thereof, said parts being arranged so that the firing-pin will hold the trigger 'in its retracted or pulled-back position after the gun is fired, and will prevent said trigger from being thrown forward in position to be engaged by the safety-catch, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosnbscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM Il. GATES.

.Witnessesz Lotus W. SOUTHGATE, PHILIP W. SoUTHeA'rs. 

